


Guardian Devil

by imloopy



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 02:59:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17696369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imloopy/pseuds/imloopy
Summary: This story is the sequel to High School Hogwash. Think of them as a two-part double episode.Chloe and Trixie are missing, after Chloe discovered the truth about Lucifer by seeing his wings.Lucifer is sulking - sorry, brooding - because of Chloe's apparent failure to accept the truth.Pierce is desperate.Again, this was originally published on another site, back around the time that 3:15 aired. Published here now to keep my collection complete.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Previously on Lucifer (in High School Hogwash):  
> Pierce tried to throw himself and Chloe off Lucifer’s balcony. Lucifer flew and caught Chloe, leaving Pierce to fall to his death - and resurrection. Chloe was stunned by Lucifer’s wings and the revelation of the truth, and said she needed time to think. She went to see Dr Linda, and walked into her office to find Maze threatening Linda and Amenadiel with a knife. She realised that not only was Lucifer really the devil, but Maze was really a demon, and fled, with Maze running after her.  
> The next morning, Dan stormed into Lucifer’s apartment demanding to know where Chloe was - according to Maze, she had packed for herself and Trixie and disappeared, and it was all Lucifer’s fault.

“I just don’t know what she was thinking.” Lucifer sat on the couch fuming, as Linda tried to gather her thoughts. After Maze had run after Chloe the night before, she and Amenadiel had parted company still without coming to any kind of satisfactory solution to the Maze problem. She had spent half the night lying awake worrying about all the different aspects of the situation she found herself in. And now she was expected to help the devil talk through his problems. Life had certainly grown more complicated since Lucifer had walked into her life. 

   “Maybe she just needs time to think things through,” she offered.

   Lucifer scowled. “I don’t understand what there is to think about. I’ve told her the truth all along.”

   “Yes, you have.” With a deep sigh, Linda sought the words to get through to him. “But you have to admit, it’s not an easy truth to believe. And it must have been a dramatic way to find out. After all, she could have died.”

   Lucifer jumped to his feet and started to pace the room. “Yes, Pierce nearly killed her. I can’t believe how ungrateful he is, either. I’m doing my best to help him, and I’ve promised him I’ll find a way, and he pulls a stunt like this?”

   “He does sound rather desperate. But as to Chloe - Lucifer, you’ve done the same yourself.”

   He swung round. “How can you say that, doctor?”

   “You remember after she was poisoned? You ran away and turned up two weeks later with a wife.” Had he gone pale? Linda suppressed a smile at the expression on his face. “I’m sure Chloe won’t do anything…” She hesitated. “…Anything that extreme, but you have to understand her need for space to think things through.”

   “That was completely different!” he protested.

   “How so?”

   He fought for the words. “That was my Father’s doing. He put her in my path. He gave her no choice but to fall for me. I couldn’t just let Him do that.”

   “Why not?”

   The simple question seemed to throw him completely, and it was a couple of minutes before he spoke again. She waited patiently for him to work out his answer.

   “Because I want her to love me because she loves me, not because my Father made her love me,” he said eventually, his voice so low that she had to strain to hear it.

   “How do you know she doesn’t?”

   “Er - because she stormed off as soon she found out the truth?”

   “She asked for time to process her thoughts. That sounds fair to me. There's a lot more to think about than your true identity.” Linda hesitated, not sure whether the full truth would ease his pain or worsen it. Should she drop her friend in it with him? Again, she felt the agony of having to decide between two of her friends, which one to support and which to hurt. “Because maybe you don’t know the whole story. Maybe it wasn’t just you she was reacting to when she disappeared.”

   He stared at her in confusion. “Well, what else would it be?”

   “Lucifer, Chloe came here last night. I think maybe she wanted to talk to me about it all. But she walked in to see Maze waving a knife at me and Amenadiel, and that - didn’t help.”

   “But Maze is always waving knives around!”

   “Maybe so, but she was angry. And I think maybe Chloe realised that if you are really the devil, then Maze is really a demon. She was pretty scary.”

   “So she ran away because she was scared of Maze?” 

   Linda winced at the fury in his voice. “I’m not sure it was that either. I think it’s just as she said - she just needs time to come to terms with it all. I’m sure that she’ll be back, sooner rather than later. Just give her time, Lucifer, please. Don’t do anything rash.”

   He opened his mouth to answer, closed it again, shrugged and turned, tugging the door open and striding out.

   “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she called as the door slammed behind him.

*

Dan waited impatiently for the elevator to reach the penthouse. His pride prickled, but at this moment he was willing to try anything.

   Lucifer was sitting at his desk when Dan walked into the apartment, and Dan felt a rush of surprise. While Lucifer’s desk had always looked impressive, he couldn’t ever remember the man showing any signs of using it. He’d always been more of a man of action. But now he sat, head propped on one hand, doodling on a piece of paper. He looked up when he saw Dan.

   “Ah, Detective Douche. What can I do for you?”

   Dan ignored the insult. “Have you heard anything from them?” he asked.

   “From whom? Oh, you mean the Detective and her offspring.” His voice was casual, but there was an odd note in it.

   “So have you?”

   “What? Oh. No. Nothing. What makes you think I would?” Lucifer’s expression did not invite further conversation, but Dan was desperate. 

   “It’s been three days, with nothing. She told Maze she’d just be gone overnight. She should have called, left a message - something! She took Trixie out of school with no word, and that’s just not like her.”

   Lucifer watched him silently.

   “C’mon, man, give me something here! You must know why she went off. Maze said it was something you said to her.” He couldn’t think what it could have been. Chloe was level-headed, normally; it took a lot to get her riled. And he had never known her just storm off like this, even through the turbulent times of their marriage break-up.

   Lucifer pushed his chair back and got to his feet, and as he approached Dan, the detective shrank back slightly; Lucifer could be pretty intimidating at the best of times, and the scowl on his face was enough to send a shiver down his spine. An image jumped into Dan’s mind: just how many suspects had suddenly recoiled from Lucifer, screaming in terror? 

   “I don’t know where she is, Daniel, and I don’t understand why she has disappeared. She saw the truth about who I am and she said she needed time to think, but that was all. She gave no indication she was intending to leave town.”

   Dan swallowed hard. “The truth about who you are?”

   “Yes, Daniel. She learned that I really am the devil.” A smile spread across his face, but failed to reach his eyes.

   With an exasperated sigh, Dan broke eye contact. “I’ve had about enough of you, man. My wife and child are missing.”

   “Ex-wife.”

   “Ex-wife.” He accepted the correction with a wince. “That doesn’t mean I don’t still care about her. About both of them. I’m worried, Lucifer, and you don’t seem to care.”

   Lucifer let out a laugh that seemed totally devoid of humour. “I don’t care. You really believe that? I do care, Daniel, and that’s just the problem. I care too much, and it seems she couldn’t cope with that. Well, too bad.”

   He sat back at his desk and picked up a book, starting to flick through it and totally ignoring Dan, who wondered for a moment about forcing the conversation further. But it seemed clear that Lucifer was not in any mood to cooperate. 

   Dan turned to leave, and then turned back to him, as a thought struck. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen anything of Pierce?”

   That got Lucifer’s attention. “The Lieutenant is missing?”

   “Yes. It’s chaos in the precinct. He was supposed to attend some important meeting yesterday, but no one has seen him for the past few days.”

   Lucifer shrugged. “He’s obviously had enough of us and cleared off. Good riddance.”

   “I thought you were friends?”

   “Apparently not.” Lucifer let out a heavy sigh. “For a while, maybe. But he wanted something from me, and I couldn’t give it to him, and so he tried to take something from me instead. Believe me, Daniel, we’re all better off without him.”

   Frustrated, Dan gave up and headed back to the office. Maze had been out of town for the last couple of days, but was due in soon, and he was eager to talk to her again, to see if she had any more idea of what had happened with Chloe. Maybe she could even use her bounty hunter skills to track Chloe down.

   Dan winced at the thought of what Chloe would say to him if she knew he was contemplating sending a bounty hunter after her, but right now he didn’t care. He would gladly take whatever ear-bashing came his way, as long as he knew for certain that she and Trixie were safe and happy.

*

“Mommy, I’m scared.” 

   “Oh, Trixie, honey, we’ll be all right.” In the semi-darkness, Chloe pulled back the covers and climbed into bed next to her daughter, who was trembling. 

   “But Mommy, I want to go home.”

   “I know. So do I. But for now we have to stay here.” Cuddling her daughter to her, Chloe kissed the top of her head softly. She felt a sickness in the depths of her stomach, but right now her only thought was to hide that worry from Trixie. 

   “But why won’t he let us go home?”

   Chloe tried to find a way to explain things so that Trixie would understand without being scared. “He’s just a very unhappy man, and he thinks that having us here will help him feel better. So we’ll go along with him for now and things will work out just fine. We’ll be back home in no time.”

   “Maze will find us and save us,” Trixie declared confidently.

   Maze. The demon bounty hunter. So much made sense now. “I’m sure she will.” The thought brought comfort. She had felt a flash of fear when she first understood that Maze was really a demon, but she had proven herself a good friend, and she adored Trixie. 

   “And Lucifer. Lucifer won’t let that man hurt us.”

   Lucifer. The devil with angel’s wings. Chloe felt a sudden flush in her body. She had been so caught up in their current situation that she had not had time to think much about the previous events. “Yes, you’re right, Lucifer will find us,” she said, figuring out a way to console Trixie. “Do you know, he’s like our own guardian angel?”

   “Guardian devil,” Trixie corrected sleepily. She snuggled into her mother’s arms and fell asleep, leaving Chloe staring out into the darkness through the corner of the barred window she could see from the bed. Yes, they had their own guardian devil. That was assuming he didn’t believe she’d run away from him in fear. After all, he had run away last year when their relationship had become too intense for him. 

   And yet he’d fought his way back into her favour. She just didn’t understand him.

   But in a way she felt she knew him completely. He wasn’t evil. He was just a confused man - devil - who struggled to relate to people properly because of the way he’d been treated. And he always had her back.

   She held onto that thought as she drifted into sleep herself.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Lucifer settled himself on the couch. “I’m doing fine,” he said in answer to Linda’s query.

   “Really?” She didn’t look convinced.

   “Yes. I threw a party last night and it was just like old times. I’ve missed that, you know - the partying. With all this LAPD nonsense, I haven’t had the time. But last night - it was fantastic.” He decided not to mention that he had spent most of the time observing rather than participating, feeling that he would trade in all the sex in the world to turn the clock back and spend the evening with a young woman and her daughter, just relaxing and having fun. What had that woman done to him? Or did all the blame lay squarely at his father’s door? 

   “So you’re not bothered that there’s still no word from Chloe?”

   He shifted uncomfortably. “Why should I be?”

   “Lucifer, after all you’ve been through with her - you’re prepared to just let her go?”

   “It was never real, was it?” he pointed out. “She was Dad’s trap for me. So she’s managed to avoid that. Good for her. It solves that problem.”

   “Takes the decision out of your hands? 

   He glared at Linda’s impassive face. Why did she always have to needle him, to find the words to strike straight at him? “She’s decided she wants nothing to do with me. I respect that decision.    It’s one in the eye for Father, and it makes my life a lot simpler.”

   “Are you sure that’s what happened? Are you sure you’re happy with that?”

   Lucifer jumped to his feet and started pacing. “I don’t understand the problem, Doctor. The detective ran. She found out the truth about me, and she couldn’t handle it. End of story. I’m not going to go chasing after her. Why are we still wasting time talking about it? It’s over.” It was a bitter triumph. The delight in seeing his Father’s plans thwarted by Chloe herself vied with the pain of losing her and of knowing she couldn’t handle the truth.

   “But what if something has happened to her?” 

   He was silent for a moment, trying to work out what she was getting at. Surely she understood what had happened?

   “Lucifer, she went away, yes, but she took her child with her. I could understand if she were avoiding you and Maze, although I still think she would cope better than that, but would she really not contact Dan? Or me? Would she leave her job, upset her child’s education, over this? After all, she’s known you for a good while, and she cares for you. You really think she’s just avoiding you because of who you really are?”

   Lucifer took a deep breath. Why wouldn’t she let it go? “Doctor, you’re overreacting. Humans do this sort of thing. As you pointed out, I even did it myself.”

   “But Chloe isn’t you. Lucifer, she’s just not like that, she thinks things through, and we’re worried about her. At the very least, you should give her a chance to explain. What matters most - annoying your Dad or checking on Chloe’s safety?”

   The question struck him hard. He had told himself that Pierce was right. He was a celestial being, an immortal. The humans around him would die. Five years was nothing, and yet he still felt the loss of friends like Delilah. What would it be like to watch Chloe age and die? And Trixie? He was better off keeping himself separate from humans. 

   And yet they were what made his life interesting.

   Pierce. The one loose end. He had not been seen since he had thrown himself off the balcony, and Lucifer was pretty sure that wasn’t because he’d died. If there was any sinister reason behind Chloe’s disappearance, then maybe Pierce was involved. Maybe that was his way forward. He could continue his campaign to annoy Dad, while still checking Chloe was safe. More importantly, it gave him a focus, something to take his mind off Chloe’s desertion.

   The thought carried him to the door, and he had opened it before he had realised Linda was talking to him. 

   “Lucifer, where are you going?”

   “I’m going to find Pierce. See if I can help him out, and kick Dad while he’s down.”

*

Watching her client and friend disappear, hellbent on some task that was just the opposite of what she had hoped, a frustrated Linda decided to try a different tactic. She headed to the apartment that Chloe shared with Trixie and Maze. There, as she had hoped, she found Maze. 

   “What are you doing?” she asked, seeing the piles of clothes and stacks of boxes heaped around the living room.

   “Packing,” Maze replied, throwing something else onto a pile.

   “Packing? Maze, what’s going on? Talk to me, please.”

   “I’m moving out.” Maze refused to stop, continuing to shove things into boxes and bags and avoiding Linda’s gaze. “I’ve had enough. If Chloe doesn’t want me around, then I’m not going to stay.”

   “Where will you go?”

   “I don’t know. Anywhere but here. There’s nothing for me here. I’ve lost both my friends now.”

   Linda perched on the arm of a chair. “Is this about me and Amenadiel as well?”

   Maze stopped work for a minute to glare at her. “You were my friend.”

   “I know, and I’m sorry.” Linda gave a deep sigh. “Just so you’re aware, he and I talked the other night after you left. You’re right, Maze, it was wrong of us to sneak around behind your back. We’ve cooled things down between us. You’re my friend, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

   With a shrug, Maze forced another shirt into a bag. “Doesn’t matter. I can’t stay here now. Lucifer ruined everything - again.”

   “Again?” Linda searched her memory. “What do you mean?”

   “He nearly ruined things between you and me before, when he showed you his devil face. And now he’s scared Chloe off.” Maze picked up a pair of shoes and tried to cram them into a box, almost breaking the heels off.

   Linda moved over to her friend, putting her hands on her shoulders. “Maze, slow down, please. Think about it. Yes, I found it tough when Lucifer first showed me the truth. But I got over it, and you were the one who helped me with that. And I’m so glad you did.” She thought back to that time; she had been unable to get past the fact that Lucifer was the devil and Maze was really a demon, until Maze had persisted in her approach. In the end, Maze had persuaded her that they were still the same people she had known before, that nothing about them had changed except her knowledge of them. “It’s so much better now I know the truth about you. I have no regrets, and I’m sure Chloe won’t either once she’s had a chance to come to terms with it all. Maze - please, go after her. Talk to her, the way you talked to me. Don’t give up on her friendship. You owe her that much, surely.”

   Maze stared at her. “Why would I want to do that?

   “Because I’m worried about her.” Linda took a deep, unsteady breath. “I know Chloe. She’s not the sort of person to run off without a word, especially with Trixie. She should have contacted someone by now - me, Dan, her mother… I’m worried that something has happened, after she left here. Something - or someone - is preventing her from returning, I feel sure. Dan’s doing all he can, but he doesn’t have your skill. Please, you’re great at tracking people down. Just find Chloe, make sure she’s safe, talk to her, hear her side of the story. Then if you still feel like leaving, I won’t stop you.”

   After a moment’s reflection, Maze nodded abruptly. “You’re right. I’ll see what I can do.”

   She poked through a bag and checked its contents, before slinging it on her shoulder. As they both left the apartment, Linda gave a sigh of relief. Maybe now they could get some answers.

*

Chloe stared at her captor with dislike. “Trixie, come over here.”

   He looked across at her. “Oh, Trixie’s not doing any harm, are you?” He put an affectionate hand on the girl’s head. “Come now, Chloe, you don’t want to frighten your daughter, do you? That would be a shame.”

   Chloe bit back her reply, conscious of the young girl’s anxious look. “It’s all right, Trixie. It’s just nearly dinner time. Do you want to help me cook?”

   Trixie’s face lit up and she took a step towards her mother. “Yes, please. And then are we going home?”

   Chloe gazed at their captor. “That’s not up to me, I’m afraid, monkey. We’re helping Pierce out first, and when we’re done then he’ll take us home. Won’t you?” She prayed for the lieutenant to back her up, to avoid upsetting Trixie. She would cooperate with him, do whatever he wanted, as long as he didn’t hurt her daughter.

   Pierce laughed, a sound that sent chills down her spine. “If you help me properly, then I won’t be around to take you anywhere, I’m afraid. But yes, once you’ve done your job you can do what you like.”

   “But what do we need to help you with?” Trixie asked, and Chloe fought back tears at her daughter’s innocence.

   Pierce crouched down next to the girl and ruffled her hair. “Oh, your mother needs to help with a little problem I have, that’s all,” he reassured her, and Chloe gave a sigh of relief that he wasn’t going to drag Trixie into the truth. She hadn’t known what to believe, when Lucifer had reassured her that Pierce wouldn’t be dead after falling from the balcony. But his appearance outside her apartment had proven that Lucifer was right.

   And now she was having to face all sorts of truths that she hadn’t wanted to believe. That they were trapped in this cabin, with a man who was intent on dying but couldn’t. That her boss was thousands of years old, and was the first murderer. And that her friend and partner was really the devil.

   That last one kept coming back to her. There was little to do here but think, and she spent most of her time reflecting over the past few years, reevaluating all their adventures in the light of this news. All those events that hadn’t made sense at the time. She had so many questions for him. She could still feel the soft, silky touch of his wings, and when she closed her eyes she remembered the terror she had felt as Pierce had dived off the balcony with her, and the relief and then shock as Lucifer had rescued her and flown - flown! - them back up to the apartment.

   Where was he? Was he searching for her? Or did he think she’d run away because she was afraid of him? Yet again, she wished with all her heart that she had stayed with him longer that night. That look of betrayal on his face when she had left, telling him she needed time to think, haunted her. She missed him so much that her body ached with longing. 

   She focused on preparing dinner, staring out through the barred windows at the forest beyond. The cabin was sparsely furnished, looking as though no changes had been made in decades, and there was no obvious path leading from it. Even if she could get the key from wherever Pierce hid it, and get the pair of them out of the building, she had no idea which way led to safety, and she couldn’t risk getting Trixie lost in the forest. For now, she had to play the waiting game, going along with Pierce for Trixie’s sake, and hope that rescue or a plan came sooner rather than later.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Maze was angry. Angrier than she could ever remember being. Her anger at Linda and Amenadiel was joined by anger at Chloe for being afraid of her and at Lucifer for ruining things.

   But now she had a focus for her anger. She had packed light, not expecting too much trouble, and had set out on a search for Chloe. She would drag her back if necessary, and make her talk to Lucifer. Whatever Chloe thought, it wasn’t good for Trixie, and Maze missed her like crazy. How could Chloe ever think she could hurt either of them?

   She thought back to that evening. Chloe had been calm in the end, but insistent that she wanted to leave for the night. “I just need time,” she’d said. And at the time, Maze had accepted it. 

   But Chloe had lied. 

   Or something had happened.

   The only thing Maze could do was find her, and see what she said.

   It took a couple of days of searching, but eventually Maze discovered Chloe’s car, tucked away in a railway station a few towns away, right at the back of the parking lot. The doors were unlocked, which was strange, and Maze searched the car in growing concern. On the back seat, tucked under Trixie’s jacket, was her toy, Miss Alien. Maze stared at it. Trixie loved that toy. She would always take it to bed with her. The only time she had been separated from it was when she had given it to Maze to accompany her on her trip across Canada, hunting a particularly tough bounty.

   So why had she left it in the car? And why had she left her jacket?

   It was a message, Maze thought. A message for her. A message to say they were in trouble.

   She pulled her phone out of her pocket and phoned Dan.

*

Chloe sat down on the couch next to Pierce. “Any ideas?” she asked him, hoping he’d had some sort of revelation that would be enough to let them go.

   He laughed shortly. “I ran out of ideas thousands of years ago, Decker. I was hoping Lucifer would be able to think of something. I was hoping you’d make a difference to me, like you do to him.”

   “What do you mean?” Chloe’s heart sped up at the mention of Lucifer’s name. As frustrating as she found him, she missed him desperately, and was eager for any titbits of information about him. Anything that would help her come to terms with the truth that he was the devil.

   Pierce raised an eyebrow. “Hasn’t he told you? You make him vulnerable.”

   The words sounded familiar, but now she wondered what he had meant by them.  “In what way?”

   “Literally. When you’re near, he’s more - human, I guess. He can be hurt, even killed.”

   “And when I’m not?” She felt a surge of fear as she tried to figure out what he meant.

   “He’s immortal. Bullets bounce off him, et cetera.” 

   “Really?” Memories chased each other through her mind.

   “Where’s Trixie?”

   Chloe sighed at the change of subject, but didn’t dare try to steer the conversation back. Pierce had become obsessed with Trixie over the past few days, and the young girl seemed to return the interest. Several times, she had seen Pierce staring into space, a blank expression on his face, until Trixie had taken his hand and pulled him into a card game with the battered pack of cards they had found in a drawer, or encouraged him to do some drawing with her. 

   Now Pierce’s temper flared occasionally, but not in front of Trixie. He still refused to let them go, but as long as Chloe didn’t push the point with him, she could almost pretend they were just staying with a friend. The cabin was basic but comfortable, with one room for her and Trixie to sleep in and another for Pierce, as well as the living area, small kitchen and bathroom. Steps led down from the kitchen into a cellar, where Pierce kept the food stores. 

   He had disappeared the day after he had brought them here, leaving the door firmly locked, and come back with fresh supplies, but since then he had remained at the cabin with them, and Chloe was starting to feel stifled. It was hard not to respond to his despondent mood, and while she had kept Trixie apart from him at first, now she was grateful for her daughter’s cheery disposition as she jollied Pierce out of another black mood.

   Trixie appeared from the bedroom. “It’s hot,” she said. “Can’t we open the windows more?”

   “The bars get in the way,” Pierce said.

   “But you could take the bars off, couldn’t you?”

   “It wouldn’t help. The heat is from outside. It’s just the weather. Just think what it was like in the days before everyone had air conditioning.”

   Nice try, Chloe thought.

   Trixie sighed. “Do you want to play a game?” she said hopefully.

   Pierce nodded. “Sure. I have Monopoly somewhere.’ He fished a box out of a cupboard, and Trixie took it and started to set the board up on the table. It was an old box, with wooden houses, unlike the modern, plastic set they were used to. 

   Trixie laid out the pieces. “Who do you normally play with?’ she asked. ‘Do you have any children of your own?”

   Pierce shook his head. “All the time I’ve been alive, and never any children,” he said. “Probably best. It’s bad enough seeing friends grow old and die.”

   Trixie stopped what she was doing to give him a quick hug. “That’s sad,” she said, and then moved back to practicalities. “Which piece do you want to be?” she asked. “Lucifer likes being the top hat.” 

   “Really?” Pierce looked irritated. Why did he always seem so grumpy whenever Lucifer’s name came up?

   “Yeah. I miss Lucifer. When is he going to come and find us?” she asked.

   “What makes you think he’ll come and find us?” Pierce asked, and Chloe held her breath, praying that Trixie wouldn’t upset him.

   “Oh, because he’s our guardian devil,” Trixie said innocently, selecting the thimble. “Mommy says he’ll come and rescue us and take us home.”

   Chloe felt Pierce stiffen beside her. “Don’t you like it here?” he asked. He seemed to genuinely want reassurance. What the hell was he playing at? Holding them prisoner, and then wanting to play happy families?

   Trixie sighed. “Not really. I know you’re trying to entertain us, but I’d much rather be at home. We were doing a project in school, and Miss Rush said I could be group leader.”

   Pierce put his token down on the table. “There’s a dangerous man trying to hurt you and your mom,” he said. “And I need to keep you here to keep you safe.”

   “Oh.” Trixie looked at Chloe for reassurance. Chloe smiled at her, but couldn’t hide the worry. “But Lucifer can protect us.”

   Pierce wiped the board off the table. “Lucifer can go to hell!” he said, and strode out of the room. A few minutes later, Chloe heard the door unlock, and then slam behind him. The key turned in the lock again and Pierce was gone from sight among the trees, leaving them locked in the cabin with no way of escape.

   Trixie looked round, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Mommy,” she sobbed. “I didn’t mean to upset him.”

   Chloe wrapped her daughter up in her arms and stroked her hair, all the while trying to figure out a way out of this mess.

*

Lucifer looked at the board in dismay. “You’re not taking this seriously, are you?”

   Dan sighed. “Look, man, we’re doing our best to track down Pierce, but we’re looking for Chloe as well, and I know which one I’m more concerned about. And there’s just nothing on Pierce from more than ten years ago.”

   “And that doesn’t worry you?”

   Dan glared at him. “I’m worried about Chloe. I don’t have any worry to spare for Pierce. He’s a grown man. He can look after himself.”

   “And the detective can’t?” Lucifer waved his hands dismissively as Dan protested. “I know, I know. You’re worried about the detective and about your offspring. And I’m beginning to think maybe you’re right to be concerned.” It hurt to admit that, and he hated to think about the time that he had lost already. “But I’m sure that if she’s being held against her will, then Pierce has something to do with it.”

   Dan laughed out loud. “And what evidence do you have for that?”

_    He already tried to kill her once. _ Lucifer wondered what Dan would say if he spoke the words out loud. “Pierce is dangerous, Daniel. And he’s obsessed with the detective.”

   “I’ve seen no evidence of that,” Dan protested. “Lucifer, we can’t act without evidence. And until I know he’s involved, then I’m going to focus all my attention on Chloe and Trixie.”

   Lucifer shook his head. What could he say to convince him? He had already been out looking himself, but the trail had gone cold quickly, and he needed the resources that the police could provide.

   Dan’s phone rang, and he checked it. “Maze? Have you found anything?” Lucifer tried to listen as Dan spoke. 

   After a couple of minutes, he disconnected and turned to Lucifer. “She’s found Chloe’s car. And Trixie’s jacket and cuddly toy were in it. Now I’m even more worried. Why would they leave them behind?”

   “Check the CCTV please,” Lucifer said. ‘There should be some around, shouldn’t there? And look for Pierce as well.”

   “You’re crazy,” Dan protested, but he snapped out instructions and within an hour a forensic team were checking over Chloe’s car and he, Lucifer and Ella were combing through hours of CCTV footage.

   “Got something!” Ella shouted triumphantly.

   Lucifer hurried over to her. “What have you found, Miss Lopez?”

   Ella played back the section she had located. It showed Chloe parking the car and climbing out, and then helping Trixie out of the back seat. 

   “That’s them!” said Dan. “Where do they go?”

   “Keep watching,” Ella said. She indicated the screen. “There, you can’t see the other side of the car, but if you watch… just… there.” She pointed to a mark on screen.

   “What is it? Dan peered closely.

   Lucifer banged his hand on top of the screen. “I told you! It’s Pierce! See his hand on the bonnet? Sorry, hood? I would recognise that silver bracelet anywhere.”

   Ella zoomed in on the image. “I hate to say it, guys, but I think he’s right. That’s the snake bracelet he always wears. What’s Pierce doing there? He can’t be going to hurt them, surely.”

   “Of course I’m right.” Lucifer began to pace the room, trying to force his brain to work faster. “We need to track him down. If we find him, we find the detective and the child.”

   Dan nodded. “It looks like it,” he admitted. “But like I said, we hit a dead end. There’s nothing before ten years ago. The records before then are missing, or faked.”

   “You need to look back further,” Lucifer said, trying to work out how Pierce would have worked. “The man has been around since humans first walked the earth. Well, give a few hundred years before he was born, of course.”

   “What are you talking about?” Dan said impatiently. “You’re not making any sense, man. Come on, this is important. Focus!”

   Lucifer sighed. “He would have some way hold onto his money over the centuries. See if you can find records of a father who left him money, or property, or anything. See if you can find any trace of him connecting with an older male relative.”

   “That makes sense, I guess,” Dan agreed. “We’ll get on it.”

   It took several hours of combing through records, and it was late in the night before they had a breakthrough. This time it was Dan who hit the jackpot. He pointed out payments made to Pierce’s bank account. “There. Large payments that were made from the account of a Michael Daw. But Michael Daw seems to be another fake identity.”

   “Can you find out any more information on him?” Lucifer demanded. He felt a surge of excitement at the news. “This could be it.”

   Ella pulled up the file and stared at it. “That’s strange,” she said. “That’s a photo of Michael Daw. But he looks exactly like Pierce.”

   “Another identity for him?” Dan asked.

   Ella shrugged. “I’d say yes,” she said. “But this photo shows Daw in 1985. That was over thirty years ago.”

   Dan stared at the screen. “Father then,” he said.

   Ella didn’t look convinced, and Lucifer gave her a small smile. “I told you, Pierce is older than he looks,” he said impatiently.

   “So have we got any information on property?” Dan asked.

   “Yeah.” Ella brought a list up. “He seems to have a lot of money and a lot of property, all passed on to Pierce and kept under different names. It’s not easy to trace, and I’m not sure I’ve found it all yet, but there are definitely properties here to try.”

   “You’re sure he will have taken them to somewhere he owns?” Dan asked.

   Lucifer ran a finger down the list, considering. “He’ll have a lot of hidden assets,” he said over his shoulder. ‘After all, he’s been alive a long time, plenty of time to collect money. It makes sense that he would take them to one that’s secluded, where he can keep them with minimum of fuss.” He grabbed a pen and pad. “I suggest we check out these three. They’re the most likely.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

“There.” Lucifer put his finger on the map. 

   Dan nodded. “It looks like a strong possibility, but it’s right in the middle of Los Padres national forest. Where’s the nearest town?”

   Lucifer glared at him. “Why are you looking for a town? Do you really think Pierce is going to keep them there?”

   With a patient sigh, Dan explained. “He’s going to need food supplies. Or at the least, they might have driven through the town. It’s one way we can track them down. He knows the way in and out of the forest, and we don’t.”

   “Oh.” Slightly mollified, Lucifer took a step back from the large map pinned to the wall. They had already checked out a couple of the properties they had managed to trace to Pierce, but none so far had shown any sign of occupation. This cabin in the forest was looking more promising, if less accessible. “Have we heard any more from Maze?”

   “Not yet.” Ella joined them. “She’s amazing. I don’t know how she does it, but she’s somehow managed to find a lead and is tracking them down from her end. She said she’ll call as soon as she gets anything definite.” She looked from one to the other. “Meanwhile, I suggest you guys get some rest.”

   Dan shook his head. “I can’t rest while Chloe and Trixie are missing,” he said.

   Lucifer perched on the edge of the nearest desk, which happened to be Chloe’s. “Miss Lopez is right,” he said with a sigh. “You’re going to be no good to her if we can’t swing into action as soon as we’ve got a definite lead.”

   After a moment’s thought, Dan gave in. “Call me if you hear anything,” he directed Ella. “Anything.”

   She nodded, her ponytail swinging, and Dan left.

   Lucifer looked at Ella. “Well?” she said to him.

   He raised an eyebrow.

   “Aren’t you going?”

   “While they’re missing? No.”

   “But you need your rest too.”

   “I’m tougher than I look, Miss Lopez. I’ll be fine. I’m ready to go as soon as we have somewhere to go to.”

   Ella contemplated him, and sighed deeply. “You really care for her, don’t you?”

   Lucifer gave a bitter laugh. “Of course I do,” he admitted. “And it’s my fault they’re gone.”

   “So what really happened between you two?”

   “Honestly? I don’t know.” Lucifer rose to his feet. “I’ll be in the break room, finding something to eat.”

   By morning a report had come in from Maze about having traced Pierce to a small town on the edge of the national park. “That’s it,” said Dan. “Let’s get out there and see what we can find.”

   The three of them drove out, Ella in the back seat, Lucifer grumbling that Dan wouldn’t let him drive. “I’d get us there in half the time,” he said.

   Dan glanced over. “Why do you think I’m driving? I’d like to arrive in one piece.”

   Lucifer slumped in his seat, sulking.

   “What’s that ahead?” Ella asked, leaning forward between the seats.

   Dan pulled up at the roadblock. “What’s going on?”

   “I’m sorry, sir,” said the officer who had pulled him over. “This road is closed. There’s a fire in the forest, and this road is impassable further down.”

   Grumbling, Dan turned the car around and they headed around the long way. It was past lunchtime by the time they finally reached the town.

   “Maze should be at the motel,” Ella said, checking her phone.

   They pulled up and headed for Maze’s room. She opened the door at their knock, and they filed into the tiny room to find Pierce tied to a chair, one eye swollen shut and blood from his nose soaking his shirt.

   “I found him,” Maze said with pride.

   “Well done, Maze!” said Lucifer, striding across and grabbing Pierce by the throat. “Where are they? What have you done with them?”

   “Let me go!” Pierce choked out. “I’ve got to go to them. They’re in danger!”

   “No kidding!” Lucifer continued to choke him. “You kidnapped them, you bastard!”

   “You don’t understand!” Pierce struggled to breathe through the hand on his windpipe. I’ve got to get back to them. They’re in the path of the fire!”

*

“Mommy, it’s so hot in here!” 

   Chloe watched her daughter in concern. It was unbearably hot in the cabin, and opening the window seemed to make it worse rather than better. She checked the window again, and frowned. The air was dry and hot, just the weather for forest fires. Was she being paranoid, or could she smell just the slightest hint of smoke? She peered out. Trees surrounded the cabin, and it was impossible to see the sky from the windows. Little light reached them, meaning that they had the lights on most of the time, even during the middle of the day.

   Trixie came over and gave her a hug. “Mommy, why is Pierce so sad all the time?” she asked. “And what does he want help with? Can I help him? I just want this to be over so we can go home.”

   “I know, Monkey,” Chloe said, kneeling next to her daughter and hugging her back. “So do I. Pierce is just very sad because he’s all alone and - and a lot of his friends have died and left him.”

   “Then he just needs to make new friends.”

   Chloe smiled. Everything seemed so straightforward to Trixie. But she herself was beginning to understand some of the deep sadness that Pierce hid behind that stoic face. They had sat at night talking, the last few nights, once Trixie was in bed. He had told her of his life, of the changes he had lived through, of some of the people he had loved, and she had felt a growing sympathy for his plight. 

   That didn’t mean she forgave him for holding her and Trixie prisoner, or trying to kill her by throwing her off Lucifer’s balcony.

   Lucifer. She found herself smiling as she thought of him. 

   “What are you smiling at, Mommy?” asked Trixie.

   “Oh, I was just thinking of Lucifer. Hoping he finds us soon.”

   “I’m sure he will.” Trixie sat back and looked at her. “Is he really the devil, Mommy?”

   Chloe considered her answer. “Yes, I think he really is, Monkey, but that doesn’t mean he’s evil.”

   Trixie looked indignant. “Of course Lucifer isn’t evil! He’s my friend. He’s your friend, too, isn’t he?”

   “Yes, he is.” And it was true. Chloe felt an overwhelming trust in Lucifer; he was far from evil, and always had her back. But was he more than a friend? Sometimes she felt a real bond between them, but every time they drew close he seemed to pull back.

   She thought about that, alongside her new knowledge that he really was the devil. He always seemed to hint that there was something going on with his father. Could that be true? Now that she knew who he really was, and so who his father was, the thought that his father was involved in their relationship somehow was terrifying. 

   One thing was for certain; Lucifer owed her a proper explanation for everything.

   “Can you smell burning?” Trixie turned a worried face towards her mother. 

   Chloe forced a smile. “I don’t think so, Trix. Shall we get back to the Monopoly game?” She hurried the little girl away from the windows, encouraged her to set the board up for another game, and took advantage of the distraction to go around the cabin closing all the windows. If there was a forest fire nearby, they didn’t need smoke drifting in to make things worse. 

*

Lucifer bundled Pierce into the back of the car, and they drove out in the direction Pierce indicated. “We have to get past the cordon,” Pierce said. “There’s a trail down to the right.”

   The road was rough, but it offered a way forward. As they drove, Lucifer saw columns of smoke rising in the distance. They had seen emergency vehicles travelling to and fro, struggling to contain the fire and stop it spreading to the towns.

   “Just where is this cabin?” he demanded.

   Pierce shrugged. “A couple of miles off the track,” he said. “There’s a place you can pull a car off the trail, and then it’s on foot the rest of the way. The road to the cabin grew over years ago.”

   By the time they pulled off onto the track Pierce indicated, the sky was dark with smoke. Dan looked around grimly. “We need to be fast,” he said. “I don’t like this at all.”

   “Agreed.” Lucifer got out of the car. “Which direction, Pierce?”

   “I need to take you,” the lieutenant protested.

   “I’ll be quicker on my own.”

   Pierce hesitated, and then nodded. “It’s in that direction,” he said, pointing to the north. “Just keep going that way, but keep your eyes open. It’s not easy to find.”

   Lucifer nodded, and before the others could get out of the car, he had strode away through the trees. As soon as he was out of sight, he increased his pace, until he was running through the forest, climbing over fallen trees, occasionally putting his wings out to save his balance, although there wasn’t enough room between the trees to fly and he didn’t dare fly higher for fear of missing the cabin.

   As he moved, he could hear the roar of flames in the distance, and gusts of smoke occasionally floated his way. He was beginning to choke on it now, and stopped for a particularly bad coughing fit. Something was wrong. It took him a minute or two to figure it out: if the smoke was affecting his lungs, that must be Chloe’s influence. She must be nearby! He forced himself on, and behind him he could hear the flames creeping closer and closer.

*

“Come in here, baby, away from the windows.” Chloe encouraged Trixie to keep close to her, in the kitchen. Here, on the side away from the fire, the air was a little clearer, but still the stench of smoke was unmistakable, and if she listened carefully, she was sure she could hear the fire roaring.

   Maybe it would pass them. Maybe it would miss them completely.

   She pulled Trixie onto her lap, and the pair of them sat on the floor. Trixie was coughing now, and her eyes were wide with fear. “They will come, Mommy, won’t they?” she said. “Lucifer will save us, won’t he?”

   “I’m sure he will, Trix,” Chloe said, and hugged her closer. She leaned her head back against the wall and sent up a silent prayer. “Are you really there? Lucifer’s Dad? You know, we could use a helping hand right now.”

   Feeling Trixie struggling for breath, she stroked the little girl’s hair away from her face. “You really like Lucifer, don’t you?”

   Trixie nodded. “He makes me laugh. He says such funny things sometimes.”

   “Yeah.” Chloe smiled. “But maybe we just don’t understand why he says them. He just doesn’t always understand people very well.” She fell silent, thinking of her friend and partner. As frustrating as she found his company at times, she would give anything to see his face right now. She pictured him in her mind, and held onto the image.

   Trixie wriggled on her lap, and twisted round to look at the door. “Mommy, did you hear something?”

   Had she? Chloe listened hard. Through the roaring of the fire, she thought she could hear a voice. She stood, and opened the kitchen door. The cabin was starting to fill with smoke. Their time was running out.

   And then, with a noise like an explosion, the door caved in.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Chloe fell to her knees, coughing, as smoke poured into the cabin. The open doorway was filled with flames, and there, silhouetted in fire, was a tall male figure, suit charred in places, hair on end, face smeared with soot, but nevertheless a delight to behold.

   “Lucifer!” Her relief in seeing him was tempered by shock at his appearance and the sight of the forest behind him, ablaze. He must have mistaken the look on her face for fear, because he hesitated for a second or two before moving. She darted forward, stepping around the fallen door, and grabbed his sleeve, pulling him into the kitchen. Behind him a tree fell, its outstretched limbs almost reaching the door frame. It could only be a matter of minutes before the cabin itself caught fire.

   Chloe slammed the kitchen door shut behind them, and for a blissful few seconds the sound level dropped enough to hear each other shout.

   “You came!” Trixie threw her arms around Lucifer’s waist and hugged him tightly. 

   He gave her a pat on the head, before looking at Chloe. “Hello, Detective.”

   She couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the incongruity of it all. She felt like hugging him herself, but he looked rather uncomfortable, and she wondered if he had been burned in the fire.

   He looked behind him. “Looks like I just got here in time,” he observed.

   Chloe nodded. She looked around her, desperate for an idea. It wasn’t safe to stay in the kitchen. She pulled the cellar door open. “Down here. It might buy us a little more time.”

   “Why weren’t you down there already?” he asked.

   Chloe pulled Trixie gently away from him. “I was scared someone would find the cabin and think we were gone,” she said. He nodded in understanding.

   They crowded down the stairs, Lucifer pulling the door firmly behind them, and stood in pitch black. Trixie whimpered a little, and Chloe held her tight, fighting the temptation to grope around for Lucifer. And then the room filled with a white glow.

   “Wow!” gasped Trixie. Lucifer had spread his wings, and a soft light emanated from the feathers. Chloe gazed in awe; she had wondered if they were as spectacular as she remembered them. In this setting, they were even more special, while their owner looked a little sheepish.

   Lucifer gave Chloe a crooked grin. “They don’t call me the lightbringer for nothing.”

   “They’re beautiful!” Trixie reached out a hand to touch the wings, and Lucifer hesitated, then  turned slightly to give her better access. 

   Delight and awe fought with fear. Chloe, grateful that her daughter was distracted from their plight, thought desperately. “We’re trapped,” she said. “Even if you do have wings, we can’t get out of here. You’re already hurt, and the flames are all around us.” Was this it? Would they die in here? She hadn’t yet come to terms with the fact that Hell must really exist. And, presumably, Heaven. She wondered idly which way she would be going. Hell wouldn’t be so bad if Lucifer remained by her side. But she couldn’t bear the thought of Heaven without him.

   Lucifer gave her a wary look. “We have a way out,” he said. “But you need to do exactly as I say. Both of you.”

   “How?” Chloe indicated the area around them. The cellar was the full size of the cabin, but underground, with no exit other than the door they had come through. On the other side of that was a raging forest fire, which was no doubt already starting to spread inside the cabin. The air in the cellar was heavy with smoke, and Trixie was coughing and choking. Chloe’s eyes stung, and the heat was unbearable.

   “You need to carry the child,” Lucifer said. “And I’ll carry both of you.”

   “Where to? Lucifer, we’re surrounded by fire.” But already she was gathering Trixie in her arms. Somehow, despite knowing that their situation was impossible, she trusted him to find them a way out.

   “Detective, I’m disappointed. Have you forgotten who I am already? You’re thinking in terms of the earthly plane only,” Lucifer said. He swept her off her feet, cradling both her and Trixie gently, and she marvelled at the strength in his arms. “I’ve been to Hell twice already for you, Detective. This time you’re coming with me.”

*

Lucifer cradled Chloe in his arms, marvelling at her beauty, even with smudges of soot and ash over her face. “Detective, there’s one thing you need to understand. Whatever you do, keep your eyes closed and don’t let go of me or the child.”

   He felt her nod, and she whispered something to Trixie, who had her face pressed into her chest.

   “Okay, let’s go.” He moved his wings, and the cellar faded around them. For a second they were weightless, and then he landed again. Around them rose an unearthly cacophony of screams and cries, and Chloe buried her face in his chest. He was used to the place, but saw it with fresh eyes, and was grateful that Chloe and Trixie were following instructions, eyes tightly closed and faces pressed against him.

   “Is this Hell?” Chloe whispered.

   He smiled down at her tightly closed eyes. “This is just the anteroom,” he reassured her. “We can’t go right into hell, because you’re both alive, but we can use this place as a pit-stop. Hold tight!”

   He flapped his wings again, and again the scenery around them faded, to be replaced with air, and they were back on earth, but above the forest and to the south.

   Lucifer flew on, cradling his precious burden, looking for a safe place to land. To the north, the fire raged on, thick columns of smoke pouring into the sky, while the area they were in was clearer. He spotted a track below, and headed downwards. They landed with a slight bump, and he took the impact with his knees, shielding his passengers. “All safe,” he announced, and Chloe shifted in his arms. 

   “Can I look now?” she asked.

   “Yes, Detective, our travels are over. I’m going to put you down now, okay?”

   At her nod, he lowered her feet to the ground and she stood, shakily leaning against him for a moment before putting Trixie down. Trixie’s face was streaked with tears, and she clung onto both of them. Lucifer stroked her hair absent-mindedly and revelled in the closeness of the detective. 

   “Where are we?” Chloe asked.

   “South of the fire. It’s not safe to fly any closer to where we were, and it would prompt too many questions if we landed further away, so I’m afraid we’ve got a bit of walking to do to find the others.”

   Chloe was frowning, and Lucifer watched her, worried. He still wasn’t sure how she felt about him. She stepped forward and took his arm, looking at his sleeve. “You’re hurt.”

   “What? Oh.” His sleeve was burned, the shirt underneath scorched, and the skin underneath felt raw. “It’s nothing.”

   “You must be in pain.”

   He shrugged. “Nothing to worry about, detective. But thank you for your concern.” Trixie sat down on a nearby tree trunk with a bump, and he nodded in her direction. “Is your offspring feeling all right?”

   Trixie looked up and smiled at him. “Thank you for saving us,” she said.

   Chloe blushed, her hair swinging over her face, and he fought the temptation to brush it back over her shoulder. “Yes, thank you, Lucifer. Again.”

   He gave a bow. “It was a pleasure, Detective.” Feeling awkward under her scrutiny, he gestured towards the trail. “I guess we should start walking. The others will be worried.”

   He set off along the trail, and they followed, but before long it was obvious Trixie was struggling to keep up with his long stride.

   “Here, jump on my back.” He stood by a tree, and Chloe helped Trixie to climb up. 

   “Where did your wings go?” Trixie sounded curious, running her hands over his back, and he smiled at the way she had accepted them so easily.

   “They tuck away, into a different plane,” he explained. “But I can call them back anytime I need them.”

   “That’s cool. I wish I had wings.” Trixie wrapped her arms around his neck and held on securely. 

   Lucifer looked at Chloe, who was watching him closely. “Do you want me to carry you as well, Detective? I’m devilishly strong.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her smile.

   She shook her head. “I’m good. Let’s go. How far have we got to walk?”

   Lucifer thought for a moment. “About three miles, I think.”

   “Can we call the others, tell them where we are?”

   “Good idea.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket, wincing at the sight of his poor, charred suit, and called Dan. He gave him no other information than their location, deciding that explanations could wait. And then they set off walking.

   At first they walked in silence, listening to the sounds around them. In the distance, the fire roared and crackled, but in this part of the forest the birds still sang loudly. Trixie seemed to be enjoying her ride, but Chloe seemed rather quiet. In the end, he could take it no more. “I’m sorry, Detective. I did try to tell you the truth.”

   “I know,” she answered. “I understand, Lucifer. I mean, I didn’t at first, but I’ve had a lot of time to think things through. You’ve always told the truth, and I wouldn’t take you seriously. That must have been so hard. And lonely.”

   He nodded, touched at her concern. 

   “But things make so much more sense now. I’m sorry, I feel like an idiot. All those times I insisted there was a logical explanation - why didn’t I just accept what you said?”

   “In your defence, Detective, it’s not an easy truth to accept.”

   She laughed. “And again you speak the truth.” She stopped walking and turned to face him. For a long moment, she gazed at him. “I was scared, back there,” she said. “Of death. And you know my biggest fear? That I would go to Heaven and you wouldn’t be allowed there.”

   Caught by surprise, he raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m happy to say that you won’t be faced with that problem just yet.”

   She hugged him, and he held her tightly. A chuckle from behind him was a startling reminder of Trixie’s presence, and he blushed and moved to step away, but Chloe held on tight. “I walked away from you a few nights ago, and regretted it the moment I left,” she said. “I’m not letting you go again.”

   She slipped her hand into his, and they walked along the track together.

*

Dan drove down the rough track. “Keep your eyes open,” he said. “They’re down here somewhere, or so Lucifer said.”

   “They can’t possibly be here,” Ella protested. “How could they have got this far? Lucifer went in the opposite direction to here.”

   Dan shrugged. Maze and Pierce both remained quiet. Pierce had said very little since Lucifer had disappeared, apart from a few quiet words exchanged with Maze. Dan had the strange feeling the pair of them knew something he didn’t, and it disturbed him. But they both seemed to be confident that Lucifer would be able to rescue Trixie and Chloe, and that had reassured him.

   “There!” Maze, leaning forward from the back seat, pointed down the track. “‘That’s them!” Her voice took on a tone of horror. “Are they holding hands?”

   Dan shook his head, but she was right. Lucifer and Chloe were walking towards them, hand in hand. “Where’s Trixie?” He felt a wave of panic.

   “On Lucifer’s back.”

   “Oh, right.” Now he could see two small arms wrapped tightly around Lucifer’s neck and two legs resting on his hips. He stopped the car and jumped out, running to meet them. Lucifer acknowledged his presence with a nod, and Chloe gave him a quick hug before returning to Lucifer’s side. Trixie slid off Lucifer’s back and he squeezed her tightly. “How did you get out of the fire? How did you get here?” He wondered for a moment whether they had been wrong about the fire being near the cabin, but Lucifer’s charred clothing told a different story.

   “Lucifer flew us to hell and back, and got us out of the fire!” Trixie babbled. “His wings are really pretty, Daddy.”

   Dan tried to exchange an amused grin with Chloe, but found his ex-wife’s expression serious. “I’m glad you’re safe,” he said in the end, not knowing how else to treat Trixie’s wild claims.

   It was a squeeze to fit everyone into the car, but they managed somehow, with Trixie on Ella’s lap and Chloe on Lucifer’s, and they headed thankfully back to the motel. 

   Once there, they crowded into the room that Maze had booked, and Chloe, with Lucifer close to her, faced her captor. “I’m sorry, Pierce, I know you’re desperate, but you had no right to keep us prisoner,” she said.

   He nodded. “I’m sorry. And I’m truly sorry for upsetting Trixie. I’ll move on, find somewhere else. It’s time I accepted my fate.”

   “Whoa!” Dan yelled in surprise. “You don’t get to just walk away from this! Chloe, what are you doing?”

   “Dan, you just don’t understand,” she said, and he saw Lucifer suppress a grin. What was with that guy anyway? At least he had saved Trixie and Chloe, and had been burned in the process, although he had refused medical assistance. Was he the jerk he seemed to be most of the time? Or the hero that he appeared to be right now? Was it possible to be both at once?

   “Then help me understand.” Dan held his hands out helplessly towards Chloe.

   “Pierce can’t die. He’s been around for thousands of years and all he wants is to die. He thought that I could help him with that somehow, or Lucifer.”

   Dan stared at her. “That doesn’t even make sense! Chloe, did you hit your head? I hate to say it, but you’re sounding even crazier than Lucifer right now.”

   Chloe smiled. “Well, I tried.” She glanced up at Lucifer, who grinned.

   “Welcome to my world, detective.”

   Pierce pulled up his right sleeve, revealing a round scar on his upper arm. I was marked by God, he said. “Cursed to walk this Earth forever.” Now he was joining in the crazy talk? Dan rubbed his eyes wearily, wondering if he was dreaming it all.

   Trixie walked over to Pierce, and rubbed at the mark. “Does it hurt?” she asked.

   Pierce shook his head, and then frowned suddenly. Dan looked closer at the mark. Where Trixie had rubbed, it had disappeared, leaving the scar looking more like a C. 

   Pierce stared down at his arm, and then looked speechlessly up at Lucifer, who hurried over and peered at Pierce’s arm. “Well I never!” he said.

   “Can you get the rest off?” Pierce asked.

   Trixie tried, but the rest stayed. 

   “I guess that shows maybe Dad has had enough of punishing you,” Lucifer said.

   Pierce nodded. “Maybe I can find a way forward from here,” he said, looking stunned. 

   Dan looked around the room. Maze, Lucifer and Chloe seemed to fully understand what was going on. Ella looked as confused as he was. 

_    Lucifer flew us to hell and back. I was cursed by God. Dad has had enough of punishing you. _

   As Dan pondered, Lucifer looked at him steadily.  _ Could it all be true? _ Dan thought back over the past couple of years, and it was though he had taken off sunglasses and could see clearly. He swallowed hard. This was too much to handle.

   “Oo-kay,” he said slowly, pushing all thoughts of the devil aside. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m starving. How about we find some food in this town?”

   Chloe gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know it’s hard to believe.”

   Dan shrugged. “I’m just going to go with the flow,” he said. “It makes my life far simpler that way. Who wants pizza?” And he looked around the room. Pierce shook his head. Maze, Ella and Trixie nodded. And Chloe and Lucifer were far too busy in a world of their own, gazing deep into each other’s eyes. 

 


End file.
